Gauteng Health delays R25m negligence payment

10 April 2017

The Gauteng Health Department is delaying payment of R25.4 million ordered by the High Court for medical negligence that led to a baby being born with brain damage.

Five-year-old Adivhaho Mukwevho suffers from severe cerebral palsy due to failure by the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital to do an emergency caesarean operation when she was born in December 2011.

She has a reduced life expectancy of only 23 more years and is in need of urgent medical and paramedical treatment.

On 8 February this year the court ordered R25.4 million payment as compensation to her mother, the money to be paid by 8 March 2017.

The Sheriff of the Court visited the head office of the Department on 31 March, but held off collecting furniture as promises were made that the money would be paid.

But the Department has still not paid, despite a daily penalty interest of R7139 per day, which now amounts to a total extra cost of about R500 000.

It is shameful that the Department defies the court and the Sheriff is likely to be back soon to possess assets.

The Department needs a proper litigation strategy to deal with the avalanche of medical negligence cases, and should pay promptly when ordered by the court.

It should also give a higher priority to improving the quality of health care so that there are fewer patients harmed by medical mistakes.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 10 April 2017